1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cufflink that is designed to be attached to a non-cufflink style shirt, e.g., a buttoned cuff shirt sleeve (not a French-cuff shirt sleeve), that has a button hole at one end of the cuff and a button with no button hole at the other end of the cuff.
2. Related Art
Non-cufflink shirts typically have a button on one end of the cuff and a button hole on the other end. Because of the lack of a button hole on both ends, existing cufflinks are not usable on these shirts.
Prior known cufflinks consist of a decorative or ornamental piece that is often used as jewelry. The decorative piece contains a stem that protrudes from the piece. At the end opposite the decorative piece, the stem contains an engagement piece which typically consists of a short pole that is attached in its middle to the stem and swivels perpendicular to the stem. To engage the cuff, the short pole at the end of the stem is swiveled to a position that is at a right angle to the stem.
Such a design works well for a shirt that has pre-cut button holes on both ends of the cuff so that the stem can pass through the holes at both ends of the cuff. The engagement piece (the short pole at the end of the stem) then holds the cuff opposite the cuff on which the decorative piece resides by swiveling the short pole in a position that is at a right angel to the stem.
However, such designs cannot by used with a buttoned cuff shirt or any shirt that does not have button holes or cufflink holes at both ends of the cuff. It is impossible to attach a cufflink to such a shirt because the stem will not pass through the cuff at the buttoned end. Therefore, the known cufflinks cannot be used with any shirt other than one made specifically for traditional cufflinks, with holes in both ends of the cuff through which the stem may pass.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,731 issued to Franco Torrini on Sep. 10, 1988 shows a form of cufflink for use, in particular, with a shirt cuff button; however, it shows only a device that merely covers the existing button. This device simulates a cufflink, but it is not a cufflink. It provides only for a cover to a button, but does not provide a device which may be attached to a buttonless shirt cuff. It further does not provide for a manner in which the cufflink can attach to a shirt that is not designed for cufflinks.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,309 issued to Galilea F. Velasquez and James R. Steier on Feb. 13, 1996, shows merely a fastener assembly that attaches fabric without the need of sewing. However, this device is neither decorative nor is it made specifically for shirt cuffs or for any type of decorative or ornamental use. Furthermore, the device shown includes two separate interlocking pieces and a locking device that permanently secures the male and female members on opposing sides of the fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,618,908 issued to Lamb Brook on Sep. 16, 2003 describes a cufflink that can be attached to a casual shirt of a type comprising a cuff, a cuff button, and only one button hole. This device comprises a pair of legs joined by an attachment means. This device, however, requires the use of the button to anchor the device to the shirt cuff and to pull the cuff ends together. Thus, if the button is removed or missing, the device is not usable. Moreover, this device does not attach the cuffs in the same manner as a traditional cufflink.
Therefore, there is a need for a cufflink which may be used with a button shirt, with a buttonless shirt, and with a cufflink-type shirt, and which may be easily moved from shirt to shirt without difficult manipulations.